WASHINGTON — U.S Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced that the U.S Department of Labor (DoL) has awarded Baltimore County a Workforce Innovation Fund grant for $11,869,725 to expand and improve job training. The grant also will be used by Anne Arundel, Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties and Baltimore City for the Accelerating Connections to Employment (ACE) Initiative, which targets individuals with limited English proficiency and low reading, writing and math skills.
“To rebuild our economy, we need workers with skills that can move our nation forward in the 21st Century. This grant will make it possible to partner with community colleges, employers, public agencies and community-based organizations in providing training for more than 1,200 Marylanders and help place them in well-paying jobs,” said Senator Cardin.
“I believe that in America, if you’re ready to work and want a job, you should have one. This is smart funding that will help Marylanders get the skills and training they will need to get good jobs,” said Senator Mikulski. “This will help build Maryland’s workforce and make its economy stronger.”
ACE programs will enroll between 1,200 and 1,600 students over the life of the grant. ACE will be implemented by bolstering existing programs designed to maximize job placement. It is expected that approximately 75 percent of enrollees will find employment in jobs paying upwards of $10 an hour, depending on their location.
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